What are the MOST OVERPOWERED CIVS conditions?

[El Caballerion]

Just read through a posting on how the SHOSHONE are 'completely overpowered', which is not exactly true in most cases, but then realized that in one circumstance, they can be EXTREMELY overpowered. Hence, I made this thread to post specific circumstances where a CIV (either through its UA, UB, or UU) can totally take the game mechanics to a new level. Feel free to contribute. Below are my two reasons:


SHOSHONE on HUGE TERRA
Just beeline to Astronomy. Send Pathfinders to the New World. Grab 25 (or so) free technologies from the 25+ ruins and you'll be more powerful than every other CIV out there.


SPAIN next to KING SOLOMON'S MINES
If Madrid is settled next to the mines, that's +12 production. Wow. Basically... do whatever the hell you want. The world is your oyster. Build wonders or spam units. Rock n' roll.

 

[OmniPotent42]

Zulu - with any neighbors.

 

[tat501]

Portugal or Spain are pretty OP on Huge Terra as well.

Arabia on sandstorm?

 

[kukatr]

At that time I don't think that the ruins will give you free tech. Maybe on lower difficulties it happens.
But I agree with the second. Also the Lake Victoria would be big bonus for them.

 

[DeutschDachs]

Personally as Spain id rather have the fountain of Youth, el Dorado, or great Barrier Reef

 

[legaceez]

SHOSHONE on HUGE TERRA
Just beeline to Astronomy. Send Pathfinders to the New World. Grab 25 (or so) free technologies from the 25+ ruins and you'll be more powerful than every other CIV out there.

Have you ever played as the Shoshone? Goodie huts don't work in the way you think they do. As far as technology is concerned only Ancient era techs can be gotten through goodie huts from my experience. After you've researched them all that option doesn't even show up anymore.

Irregardless you'll be lucky to get two free techs as you can only pick it every third goodie hut or so. Finding four, assuming you picked technology as your first one and depending on the map settings, that early is pretty uncommon.

By the time to get to Astronomy you'd have almost zero techs to pop. Even if you beelined to Astronomy, the beakers you get for free vs what you can already produce naturally is trivial. The cost of forgoing all the other early techs for so long and pumping out nothing but pathfinders will actually hurt you in the long run.

 

[VainoValkea]

Ruins occasionally give free techs, I've seen it on... king, at least. Maybe Emperor too, but can't remember.

 

[azzaman333]

I'm pretty sure that you can't get techs from later eras than ancient from ruins. Also, Spain starting next to Skilldorado, Fountain of Youth or Great Barrier Reef is much more powerful than near Solomon's Mines.

 

[nenya]

I think in a similar vein, Spain with the GBR just powers through early game.

Also, since you cannot get the same bonus twice in a row with pathfinders, doesn't that mitigate the power of the Shoshone on huge mpas?

 

[DeutschDachs]

Also incans on a hill dominant map and mt kilamanjaro close by

 

[legaceez]

Ruins occasionally give free techs, I've seen it on... king, at least. Maybe Emperor too, but can't remember.

Correct but only ancient era techs. As least as far as Prince difficulty and beyond.

 

[ehecatzin]

The Aztecs if they have a large starting lake, which is rather rare, if lucky I only get 1 tile lake. They can get stupidly large cities. Not presicely OP, but its a really good starting position.

 

[nenya]

If you are referring to the floating garden, I am pretty sure a river suffices for that.

 

[Soronery]

If you are referring to the floating garden, I am pretty sure a river suffices for that.

Lake tiles grant 4 food from a floating garden. Very strong if you start next to like a 6 tile lake.

 

[Jimdigriz]

Have you ever played as the Shoshone? Goodie huts don't work in the way you think they do. As far as technology is concerned only Ancient era techs can be gotten through goodie huts from my experience. After you've researched them all that option doesn't even show up anymore.

Irregardless you'll be lucky to get two free techs as you can only pick it every third goodie hut or so. Finding four, assuming you picked technology as your first one and depending on the map settings, that early is pretty uncommon.

By the time to get to Astronomy you'd have almost zero techs to pop. Even if you beelined to Astronomy, the beakers you get for free vs what you can already produce naturally is trivial. The cost of forgoing all the other early techs for so long and pumping out nothing but pathfinders will actually hurt you in the long run.

+1. Ive played as Shoshone a lot already (in fact Ive only played as Shoshone since BNW!) and you do get a very good start (could be a great start sometimes). However, I think later on in the game other civs could give you a hard time as the Shoshone don't have anything for the later game. They suit my style great though so Im going to have a hard time trying to go with another civ instead for my next game!

 

[kajillion]

Inca on Highlands with dense mountains and sparse resources so you get fewer useless sheep or stones on your hills.

Kamehameha on Terra.

Morocco on Sandstorm, kasbahs aren't ad OP as people think, but the fact that your enemies have to use regular deserts hurts them.

Iroquois on Arboria

 

[Bei1052]

I haven't tried it yet, but I'd think that Brazil, if you can get the +1 culture from jungle tile pantheon, would end up being pretty OP late game, if for no other reason than you could fill any policy branch you'd wish.

 

[ParadigmPlague]

was playing Venice and had lake victoria 1 tile away from starting LOS. hows that for getting venice tall

 

[Resipsa]

Venice/Tiny Islands Beeline Colossus and enjoy 20 Sea trade routes and nearly 1000 gpt in the late game.

 

[crawf0rd]

Vanilla ottomans on tiny islands with raging barbarians